By Shannon Lukens. (Courtesy photo)
The first competition for the ESports Team at Steamboat Springs High School is, Tuesday, Sept. 24. Here are some of eight ESports competitors at the high school.
ESports is short for electronic sports which is a high level of organized, multi-player video games.
SSHS Head Coach Dani Booth says more and more colleges are adopting ESports and offering scholarships. Booth says students compete through the platform PlayVS Within PlayVS, and they can connect their accounts to various entities, including Stay Plugged IN (SPIN). For graduates in the class of 2021-2023, 100% of the Stay Plugged IN members received a scholarship offer with the average member receiving six to seven offers of $4-5 thousand each. The offers came from 100 college and universities nationwide, average $32 thousand offers per student. She added that over $24 million has been awarded to SPIN members in scholarships.
The ESports Mission Statement is: “SSHS Esports aims to build a strong, supportive environment within our larger high school community. We will develop healthy habits for our bodies and our minds. We will encourage positivity, respect, teamwork and sportsmanship. The ultimate goal is for players to learn to always do their best with personal, academic, and athletic endeavors.”
Games played include League of Legends, Rocket League, Splatoon 3, Super Smash Bros., and Mario Kart. All competitions are virtual and played at Steamboat Springs High School.
The ESports season runs through Nov. 14 with playoffs Nov. 18-Dec. 6.
The team is looking for students who would be interested in helping with their Twitch stream or being an announcer for the competitions.
Booth shared the 2024 SSHS ESports Code of Conduct. “Players are expected to behave respectfully in practice and at competitions. Always conduct yourself with integrity because you are representing the Esports Program and Steamboat Springs High School. Demonstrate the SAIL Principles: Spirit, Accountability, Inclusion, and Leadership.”
For more information, reach out to Esports Coach Dani Booth at dbooth@ssk12.org
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